Kerala Project Team consists of Pierre Boisseleau, student of agricultural engineering from France, Martin Freier, student of economics from Germany and Erika Strapkova, master of journalism from Slovakia.
Why are we in Kerala?
By GLEN – Global European Network of Young Europeans - we were chosen as volunteers in the project "Spices go Fair Trade". GLEN is a joint non-profit, politically independent initiative of twelve organizations from old and new member states of the European Union. For more information about GLEN, please, check: www.glen-europe.org.
Here in Kerala we cooperate with Father Mathew Vadakkemuriyil, the chairman of Sustainable Development Agency in Malanadu campus, Parathodu in Kottoyam dstrc.
Our aim
Supposed to focus on topics of Fair Trade, our aim is to cooperate with marginalized producers of handicrafts and organic grown crops and help them improve their working and living conditions.
For more information about Fair Trade, please, check: www.fairtrade.net, www.flo.org.
Our work
During our three months stay here, we are supposed to visit different spices, tea and handicraft producing units in order to get to know the situation and needs of the small scaled farmers in different districts of Kerala. Our aim is also to build awareness of Fair trade opportunities among farmers, research the trading possibilities and build up trade contracts between the farmers and european Fair Trade organisations or trade companies. Starting our project in September 2008, we acquired knowledge about organic farming and the process of Fair Trade labelization as we cooperated with Peermade Development Society (PDS) in their organic tea and spices units, factories and laboratories.
According to that, we started to cooperate with Mulamkadu Bamboo Unit located in Trivandrum and Grama Lakshmi Coconut Unit which are commited to traditional Keralan bamboo and coconut handicrafts.
Mulamkadu Bamboo Unit
Mulamkadu (what means in Malayalam language "Bamboo forest") is a recently started project of bamboo and coconut artisans in order to sustain the traditional Keralan handicraft-techniques. 
Furthermore, due the usage of natural ressources, it is commited to a sustainable way of life in the time of plastic.
Mulamkadu consists of four units which are widespread over the Trivandrum-District. There are approximately 200 artisans in each unit who produce a huge variety of products. Each year seven people are democratically elected to be part of the Malamkadu Commision. Right now it consists of three women and four men of whom two are tribal people from the Keralan forest.
Actual structure of the charitable trust:
Mulankadu (Reg No. T.2560)
Kudapanakunnu. Po. Pathiripally, Thiruvananthapuram PIN 695043, Kerala, South INDIA
mail: mulamkud@rediffmail.com
- Executive comittee
- President: Santosh kumarin
- Vice President: Vilasini
- Secretary: Ajithkuar. A.S
- Joint Secretary: Laya. L
- Treasurer: Minimol. A
- Member: Kunjumon
- Member: Shibu. S
- Governing body (Executive + Unit Representants + Small bamboo nursery)
- Ezhukone: Selvarajan
- Kottur: Suresh
- Kulathupuzha: Beena
- Sasthavattom: Lali
- Mulamkadu: Madhu
- Bamboo nursery: P. Pappan
Situation nowadays in these vilages
- Main problems
- Actually the raw bamboo is only provided by the Kerala Government / Bamboo corporation Handicrafts producers have to produce mats for these suppliers in exchange of raw materials. Half of their work is also spent in paying raw materials. There is also not guaranty of reliable price / quantity of raw bamboo for producers. -They only access to the market by middlemen and exhibitions where they sale to private customers. 50% of the benefits on one item is earned by the middlemen.
- The ways they found to face these problems
-Mulankadu members organized themselves in SHG (Self help Groups). In each, one leader is democratically elected. Moreover, they train theirselves and improve their skills together.
-Now Mulankadu is registered as a charitable trust society and is now stronger and able to fight for handicraft producers interests.
- What can be improved?
- Find reliable and fair markets to assure a reliable and sufficient income for Mulamkadu producers.
- To organize this structure in an official farmers organization. Then it will be easier to look for governmental subsidies and also buy a land of 2 Ha (to get rid of the bamboo suppliers interests) or a machine wich automatically cut the bamboo in slices for the 5 villages.
GRAMA LAKSHMI
Created as SHG (Self Help’s Group) in 2001, Lila John and her partners started the production of coconut handicrafts and utilities using the hand machines.
In 2004 SHG was registered as charitable society using the symbolical name Grama Lakshmi (Village of prosperity).
Today, 16 women elaborate coconut shell and wood using the machines bought by bank loan in the society. According to demand of market they produce pen holders, soap holders, floral decorations, steam cookers, scoops and kitchen utilities/ tools, bowls, jewellery (bangles, ear rings...) hair clasps, etc.
Nowadays, 10 home based units were created to support the employment for women at home. In each unit work one/two women.
The national award for micro enterpreneurship of social community by Coconut Government Board in Kottayam was awarded to Grama Lakshmi in 2006.
The biggest problem Grama Lakshmi has to face is marketing and selling the products at exhibitions and by business on commission, so they can’t obtain the money in advance.
PRODUCTS
Scoops, pen holders, soap holders, floral decorations, steam cookers, kitchen utilities/ tools, bowls, jewellery, hair clasps
PROBLEMS
selling of products by business on commission
